And I have found both those Great Men to be in fome Meafure in the Right, the Hair of fome Animals, or in fome Parts of the Body, being very little, if at all, tubular; and in others, particularly Mice, Rats, and Cats, to be as I have reprefented in my Fig. 14, &c.

And now, if my Inadvertency in other Things bath no worse Effect than it hath had in thefe, namely, to correct, or clear others Obfervations, I hope the Reader will excufe it, if he meets with any more of the like Kind. But not being confcious of any fuch thing (although probably there may be many fuch) I am more follicitous to beg the Reader's Candor and Favour, with relation both to the Text and Notes: In the former of which, I fear he will think I have as much under-done, as in the latter over-done the Matter : But for my Excufe, I defire it may be confidered, That the textual Part being Sermons, to be delivered in the Pulpit, it was neceffary to infift but briefly upon many of the Works of GoD, and to leave out many Things that might have been admitted in a more free Difcourfe. So that I wish it may not be thought I have faid too much, rather than too little, for fuch an Occafion and Place. And indeed, I had no fmall Trouble in expunging fome Things, altering many, and Softening the most, and, in a word, giving, in fome Meafure, the Whole a different Dress than what I had at first drawn it up in, and what it now appears in.

And as for the Notes, which may be thought too large, I confefs I might have shortened them,

I

and

and had Thoughts of doing it, by cafting fome of them into the Text, as an ingenious learned Friend advised. But when I began to do this, I found it was in a Manner to new make all, and that I fhould be neceffitated to tranfcribe the greatest Part of the Book, which (having no Affiftant) would have been too tedious for me, being pretty well fatigued with it before. I then thought it beft to pare off from fome, and to leave out others, and accordingly did fo in many Places, and would have done it in more, particularly in many of the Citations out of the Ancients, both Poets and others; as alfo in many of the Anatomical Obfervations, and many of my own and others Obfervations: But then I conJidered, as to the First, that thofe Citations do (many of them at least) fhew the Senfe of Mankind about God's Works, and that the most of them may be acceptable to young Gentlemen at the Univerfities, for whofe Service thefe Lectures are greatly intended. And as to the Anatomical Notes, and fome others of the like Nature, most of them ferve, either to the Confirmation, or the Illuftration, or Explication of the Text, if not to the learned, yet to the unskilful, lefs learned Reader; for whofe Sake, if I had added more, I believe be would forgive me. And lastly, as to the Obfervations of myself, and Jome others, where it happens that they are long, it is commonly where a Neceffity lay upon me of fully expreffing the Author's Senfe, or my own, or where the Thing was new, and never before published; in which Cafe, it was necessary to be more Express

and

and Particular, than in Matters better known, or where the Author may be referred unto.

1

In the former Editions I promised another Part I had relating to the Heavens, if I was thereunto encouraged. And two large Impreffions of this Book having been fold off, fo as to admit of a Third before the Year was gone about; and bearing that it is tranflated into two, if not three Languages; but especially being importuned by divers learned Perfons, both known and unknown, I have thought myself fufficiently engaged to perform that Premife; and have accordingly published that Part.

So that I have now carried my Survey thro moft Parts of the vifible Creation, except the Waters, which are for the most Part omitted; and the Vegetables, which, for want of Time, I was forced to treat of in a perfun&tory Manner. And to the Understanding of the former of thefe, having received divers Sollicitations from Perfons unknown, as well as known, I think myfelf bound in Civility to own their Favour, and to return them my hearty Thanks for the kind Opinion they have shewn of my other Performances, that they have encouraged me to undertake this other Task. And accordingly I have begun it, and (as far as my Affairs will permit) have made fome Progrefs in it: But Age and Avocations growing upon me, I begin to fear I fhall fcarce be able to finish it as I would, and therefore must recommend that ample and noble Subject to others, who have more Leifure and would do it better than I.

As

but

As to Additions, I have been much follicited thereunto by divers curious and learned Perfons, who would have had me to infert Some of their Obfervations, and many more of my own; in a Work of this Nature, this would have been endless: And although the Book would thereby be rendered much better, and more compleat, yet I could by no means excufe fo great an Injustice to the Purchafers of the former Editions. And therefore (except in the fecond Edition, where it was not eafy to be avoided) few Additions bave been made, befides what were Typographical or of Small Confideration. Only in the third Edition I amended the first Paragraph of Note 1. Chap. 5. Book 1. concerning Gravity; and in the Fourth, Page 16, and 18, I inferted two Paffages out of Seneca, that were inadvertently left out, and corrected many Things, that upon a careful Review, feemed to want Amendment.

And lastly, as to the following Analysis, it was added at the Request of fome of my learned and ingenious Friends; and although it might have been contracted, they would not fuffer it to be fo.

ΑΝ